Monthly Archives: May 2014

This place stands to be at the crossroads of cultural, religious and intellectual crossroads, along the Silk Route, China. Also known as the ‘Caves of the Thousand Buddhas’, the Magao Caves is a chain of 492 temples. These caves have been marked as site of World Cultural Heritage by the United Nations. The land on which these caves are located is in itself an epistome of the grandeur of Buddha and Buddhism. Silk Road extends from Europe through Egypt, Somalia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Burma, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam and finally it reaches China.

The cliffs above the Dachuan River are home to the beautiful caves of Mogao. Located in the Gansu Province, these caves comprise the largest and the most widely used treasure house of the Buddhist Art in the world. These caves are example which show how meekly had Buddhism begun and what zenith of success did it achieve in spreading it’s message all throughout. The 492 caves located over here stretch approximately upto a distance of 25 kilometres.

There is a sheer variety of art that these caves abode. They were mostly constructed as early as 366 A.D. Whatever Buddha preached and the principles of Buddhism are all depicted though these caves. They mostly cover a period of ten centuries; roughly the 4th– 14th century. There is a cave which depicts a camel pulling a cart. This cave is believed to be the oldest. It is the cave 302 of the Sui Dynasty and is emblematic of the trade which used to take place in those days. An excellent example of Chinese cartography is cave 61. It has the beautiful landscape of Mount Wutai. It shows all the beautiful cities, temples, mountains and rivers.

More idea about the labour and trade can be taken from caves 23 which belongs to the Tang Dynasty. These caves show both workers working in the fields. Besides this, cave 156 shows warriors all standing in a line. Somewhere around the 1900s a huge library of manuscripts were found in these caves. These manuscripts largely tell people about the culture and the kind of scenario, both political and social prevailed in Central Asia and China as well. No other discovery is supposed to be as huge as this oriental or as we call it the eastern one.

Duhuang, despite being quiet cut off from the Middle Empire, remained to be a cosmopolitan in those days where one could have found all the people from Asia together. Devotees from religious sects like Buddhism, Nestorianism and Islam were found, and most of them were nomads. These caves also show the long struggle which followed in establishing Buddhism as a religion. Buddhists monks are believed to have started working on these caves back in 366 A.D. but Buddhism, as a religion got recognition only in 444 A.D.

It is often said that Buddhism is a religion which is quiet liberal as when compared to many other religions which follow some really staunch traditions or rather the rules. People who have speculations regarding the same should visit the Mogao Caves at least once because the moment one steps on this land; the feeling of being free starts over- powering one. One starts to feel that hes is the creator and the decision- maker of whatever is going to happen to him or in his life.

As mentioned earlier, most of these caves were constructed from the 4th century to the 14th. They not only signify the long struggle behind establishing Buddhism as a religion abut also tell the tourists about the mystical and the transcendental teachings which this religion wanted to spread. Though after the formation of these caves there was a decline in the whole of Central Asia which in a way affected these caves as well and their maintenance. It is at times, really sad to think over the fact that a precious collection of cultural heritage was not taken care off for a really long time.

As we know that the Magao Caves due to their explicit beauty and historical significance have been listed as on eof the sites under the the United Nations World Heritage. China, even a step further has put all the sites of the World Heritage under the top priority category of the nation, which is a very good move to preserve these monuments. The near future goal that that the government of China seeks to implement is the knowledge through experience to it’s people, as to how can these cultural heritage sites be protected.

The Mogao Caves, although as they seem to be are remotely located but the tourism companies make proper arrangements to let the customers reach the spot in the most comfortable way possible. One can hire a taxi to reach the Mogao Caves. If a person is very fond of carpool and people around, then one can also board a green line bus to reach the same. These caves and the inscriptions which it bears are fall under the category of rarity of location. Going on a tour to places like China for the purpose is in itself a refuge from the hustle- bustle of the city life and it’s anxieties.

Housing a permanent collection of 4.5 million objects, the Victoria and Albert Museum also known as the V&A, London, is the world’s largest museum dedicated to Decorative Art and Design. The museum was built in the year 1852 and was christened thus after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The V&A is located in the Brompton district of the royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in an area that has become known as ‘Albertpolis’ due to its association with Prince Albert. Albertpolis houses the Albert Memorial as well as other cultural institutions such as the Natural History Museum, the Albert Hall and the Science Museum.

The museum spreads across an area of 12.5 acres, has 145 galleries and is sponsored by the Department of Culture, media and sports. It is a home to a collection spanning 5,000 years of art, from ancient times to the present day, telling stories from cultures of Europe, Asia, North America and North Africa. The holdings of glass, textiles, metalwork, ironwork, jewelry, furniture, medieval objects, sculptures, prints & printmaking, drawings and photographs are among the largest and most comprehensive in the world.

The architecture of the museum is a mélange of Victorian period, Edwardian period, the post war period and also the recent years.

The Victorian architecture came into being during 1837 and is characterized by patterned bricks, stained glass, terraces, barge roads, decorated roof lines and slates, bay and sash windows, floor tiles, fireplaces, porches and date stones.

The Edwardian architecture was a style that gained popularity during King Edward the 7th of the United Kingdom’s reign. This type of architecture is characterized by light colors, use of gas and later electric lights, plain wallpapers and curtain designs and very less clutter.

The V&A has covered the history of architecture with displays using models, original drawings, photographs and elements from buildings. The V&A forms the world’s most comprehensive architectural resource with over 600,000 drawings, over 750,000 papers and paraphernalia and over 700,000 photographs from around the world. The works of many major, British, European and architects have been displayed in the architectural collection.

The V&A collection of art from Asia is one of the largest in existence, as it houses 160,000 objects. The museum covers items from South & South East Asia, Himalayan kingdoms, china the Far East and the Islamic world.

There are around 19,000 items from the Islamic world, ranging from the early Islamic period to the early 20th century. Items such as exquisite calligraphy, carpets, crystal ware, ceramics etc.

The Museum holds around 60,000 objects including about 10,000 textiles and 6000 paintings from South & south East Asia.

The far eastern collection houses more than 70,000 works of art from the countries of East Asia: China, Japan and Korea.

The Museum’s National Art Library also known as the Word & Image Department, houses around 750,000 books, photographs, drawings, paintings and prints. It is one of the world’s largest libraries dedicated to the study of fine and decorative arts. One of the great treasures in the library are some of Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebooks. The diverse paper collection of the library consists of papers written by various writers including Beatrix Potter and Charles Dickens.

The museum has a collection of ceramics and glass with over 80,000 objects from around the world. The collection consists of Chinese and British porcelain.

While the glass collection covers 4000 years of glass making and houses around 6000 items from America, Europe, Britain, Africa and Asia. The earliest glassware on display comes from ancient Egypt including medieval renaissance, ancient Rome up until the recent periods that include Art Nouveau glass.

The Drawing section houses a collection of over 10,000 British and 2,000 Old Master works and displays works of about 20 to 30 world famous artists.

The Costume collection consists of over 14,000 outfits plus accessories and is the most comprehensive collection in Britain. These costumes mainly date from the 1600 to the present century. The collection is dominated by fashionable clothes made for special occasions.

The Furniture collection covers Europe and America from the middle ages to the present but is dominated by British furniture dating from 1700 to 1900. The furniture and Woodwork collection also includes complete rooms, musical instruments and clocks.

The jewelry collection houses over 6000 items and is one of the finest collections in the world. The collection includes works dating from ancient Egypt to the present day. The museum also collects jewelry from modern designers and also African and Asian traditional Jewelry.

The Print collection has more than 500,000 items and includes posters, greeting cards, book plates as well as works from the Renaissance to the present.

There is a lot more that the Victoria and Albert museum has in store for history lovers and people who have a craze for antique jewelry and furniture. A trip to the V&A, London, is a total value for money, time and energy. Do visit.

Situated in the western central part, nestled in the surrounding valley, Thimphu is the largest city as well as the capital city of Bhutan. The city is raised at an average altitude of 7000 m. It has many tributaries that flow from the Himalayan peaks and largely dictate the topography of the Thimphu valley. The valley is comparatively dry and contains a different type of vegetation, which mostly consists of the coniferous vegetation type.

Before 1960, Thimphu consisted of Hamlets scattered across the valley. A battle took place and the victory of the first ever ruler of Bhutan, gave him the power to control the whole country. The country started to develop and the presence of Diplomatic Missions and International Funding Organizations in Thimphu resulted in a rapid expansion of Thimphu as a metropolis. A constitution too was drafted for Bhutan, making it a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy from an absolute monarchy.

The climate in Thimphu is warm and temperate. Monsoons arrive during mid-june to September. Landslides take place as a result of continuous rainfall for several days. These landslides lead to numerous road blockages. The temperature falls very low and cold winds blow at night. During the period between May and September Thimphu experiences a wet season (heavy rainfall ) and a dry season during the rest of the year.

The buildings in Thimphu are dominated by the Bhutanese architecture. This architecture is characterized by Prayer flags, Mani walls and Prayer wheels.

The state follows the religion of Mahayana Buddhism. It is one of the three main existing branches of Buddhism. Northern parts of Bhutan are dominated by the Drupka ethnic group while the southern parts are dominated by Hindus and Nepalese.

Bhutan’s religion, customs, literature, dress code, music, dance, monastic practices and media successfully reflect the culture of the Bhutanese society. The country believes in blending modernity with tradition without sacrificing on the traditional Buddhist ethos.

The National Library was built in the shape of a traditional temple, in 1967. The purpose behind the establishment of the library was to promote and preserve literary, cultural and religious heritage of Bhutan. The building is lavishly decorated and is said to represent the finest Bhutanese architecture. The library also houses the heaviest book weighing 59 kilos. Traditional books and historic manuscripts written in Tibetan style , on handmade paper, bound between wooden flats and tied together are also preserved here. An old printing press which was used for printing books and prayer flags is also housed in the library. The library has a well preserved treasure of Bhutanese literature. The script in which the Bhutanese literature is written evolved from the Tibetan script during the 16th century. The printing process of these books on handmade paper and its binding are display items in the national library. The popular religious work involves a biography of a woman titled ‘delog’. The collection also contains tales about Bhutan written in English.

The Royal Academy of Performing Arts, which is located in Thimphu was established with the sole motive of preserving and promoting the performing arts tradition of Bhutan. The institution provides training in national dance forms of Bhutan such as mask dances and also preserves the folk dance heritage.

Music in Bhutan is dominated by Buddhist music because the influence of Buddhism on the Bhutanese culture is important. In the 17th century Bhutan witnessed the blossoming of great folk music and dance. Various musical instruments enhanced the musical culture of Bhutan. Also, Rigsar music became popular in Bhutan and Thimphu and was performed on an electric piano and synthesizer. The Rigsar music is a sort of a fusion of Bhutanese and tibetan tunes and is also influenced by Hindi music. With the motive of promoting Bhutanese music two music schools were established namely Kilu Music School and the Himalayan School of Music. Students are taught to practice their music reading and writing skills and to improve their listening skills.

Cinema in Bhutan isn’t oh so good, since a very few films are made in Bhutan. The quality of the films produced is on the stage of improvement. To promote and improve Bhutanese film making, national film awards are presented in functions held in Thimphu. Luger Cinema hall is the one and only cinema hall in Thimphu, it screens Bhutanese and Hindi movies and occasionally movies in English or any other foreign language are also screened here.

Thimphu Tsechu Festival is the annual festival, mainly featuring the religious folk dance and was established in 1670. People perform mask dances popularly known as Cham dances, during the four day tsechu festival, held during autumn mainly September and October, according to the Bhutanese calendar. Literally meaning ‘tenth’, the Tsechu festival is held on the 10th day of a month of the Lunar Tibetan Calendar. These dances are performed by monks along with other trained dancers and are a series of dances called the Tsechu. People are dressed in their best clothes flaunting their best jewelry. The festival takes place in each district of Bhutan at different periods and is usually attended by the Royal family.

Bhutan is rich in art with around 13 arts and craft style of Bhutan, known as Zorig Chosum, that represents the exclusive ‘spirit and identity of the Himalayan Kingdom’. The making of jewelry, bows & arrows, boots, sculptures, textiles, paper, swords, paintings also wood carving, bamboo craft and blacksmithing, are all the elements that are included in the list of the rich art and craft of Bhutan.

The Voluntary Artists’ studios encourage traditional and contemporary art forms, among the youth of Thimphu, who are interested in imbibing these art forms.

Various Bhutanese textiles are proudly displayed in the National Textile Museum, in Thimphu.

Bhutan is also very well known for its mountain adventure trekking and hiking. The popular trekking in Bhutan involves Jhomolhari Base Camp trek, Snowman trek and Masagang trek.

Thimphu can be reached by air and road both. It is served by the only international airport located in Bhutan that is the Paro airport.

There are several hotels in Thimphu that offer a comfortable stay at the city and make lodging a less of an issue.

So buckle up and join the extravaganza at the beautiful city of Thimphu, Bhutan !

Massachusetts sounds pretty unheard but this is a fantastic state of the United States located in the New England region of the northeastern part of country. Massachusetts is famous for its great role in arts, culture and economy of American history. It is also a place worth visiting as it offers great attractions like museums, art center, conventions, amusement parks, farms & orchards, historic sites, galleries, shopping places, zoos, itineraries, great dining services and amusing cities like Boston, Cambridge, Salem, West Springfield, Worcester, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Orleans, Otis, Longmeadow, Falmouth and Rockville. The history of this rocking state takes us back to 1620, when the Pilgrims founded Plymouth colony and became a hub for fighting against British oppression. Massachusetts was incorporated as a state on February 6, 1788 and became the 6th state of US. The economic boom knocked the doors of Massachusetts during 19th century when writers, educators, doctors, businessmen took the economy in their hands. The state became a hub for commercial fishing, shipping and manufacturing activities. Today, the cranberry crop, dairy and poultry products, greenhouse , vegetables and fruit produce is world famous. Massachusetts became the first state of US which made homosexual marriage legal. This state has the lowest divorce rate in the country. It is the state where sewing machine was invented in the city of Boston. Volleyball and basketball were invented here at Springfield and Holyoke. The first church in America built by free Africans is located in Boston. Frozen foods were invented in Gloucester city of Massachusetts in 1925. The famous Harvard University was the country’s first college, built in 1636 and the first public beach, Revere Beach, is also located here.

Massachusetts has a humid continental climate with moderately warm summers. The temperature varies from -6 degrees to 42 degrees throughout the year. The coldest city is Berkshires with cold and snowy winters and warmest city is is Chester with maximum temperature of 42 degrees during July. There are no dry seasons and climatic difference is very high between eastern and western sections. The precipitation is highest in Boston and varies from 39 to 46 and snowfall is also very high in this area. The rainfall is very common around the year and the best time to visit this state is anytime of the year.

How to get here?

There are many international airports around the state and your arrival depends on what city you would like to come to. Most visited airports in Massachusetts are Boston Logan International Airport, Martha’s Vineyard Airport, Nantucket memorial Airport, New Bedford Regional Airport, Barnstable Municipal Airport, Worcester Regional Airport and Provincetown Municipal Airport. Boston Logan International Airport tops the list with most visitors because most of the tourists come to Boston. You will get numbers of transport means outside the airports like cabs, taxis, airports shuttles, buses, limos and others.

Accommodation and Food

There are uncountable number of lodging options in Massachusetts, from hotel, B&B and Inns to apartments, lodges and boutiques. Most number of accommodations are in Boston like Hotel Commonwealth, Boston Harbor Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Boston, Seaport Boston Hotel, The Lenox Hotel, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Nine Zero Hotel and Residence Inn Boston at Downtown Seaport. Another great city for staying is Provincetown with choices like The Provincetown hotel, Cape Colony inn, Surfside Hotel & Suites, The Seaglass Inn & Spa, Crowne Pointe Historic Inn & Spa, Inn at the Moors, Provincetown Inn Resort & Conference Center and Harbor Hotel. You can get some good places to stay in Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Falmouth, Lenox, Cambridge, Hyannis, Rockport, Plymouth, Dennis Port, Gloucester, Eastham, North Truro and West Yarmouth.

Massachusetts is a state of different tastes and offers almost every international cuisine available on earth. Again Boston features most of the restaurants offering great food like Deuxave with American Food, Menton featuring Italian Food, Island Creek Oyster Bar featuring seafood and James Hook & Company offering fantastic beers and fast food. Cambridge has famous restaurants like Toscanini’s Ice Cream, Oleans, Life Alive, East Side Bar & Grill, Giulia, Cafe Luna, Beat Hotel, Border Cafe and The Druid. Springfield has Chef Wayne’s Big Mamou, Theodore’s, Red Rose Pizzeria, Punjabi Tadka, Hot Table, Pho Saigon Restaurant, Bueno Y Sano, Adolfo’s Italian Restaurant, The Student Prince, Tony’s Pizza, Max’s Tavern and Frigo’s.

Cities to Visit

Boston

Boston is the largest city and capital of the state and also serves as county seat of Suffolk County. It is third most populated city of the country and served by the Boston International Airport. The main attractions of this beautiful cities are the Faneuil Hall, Freedom Trail, Boston Common, New England Aquarium, Fenway Park, Public Garden, Museum of Fine Arts, John F. Kennedy Library, Old North Church and USS Constitution.

Gloucester

Gloucester is located on Cape Ann in Essex County of Massachusetts. It is considered as one of the most educated city of the state. This fabulous city has some amazing attractions like Hammond Castle, Adventure, Our lady of Good Voyage Church, Beauport and Wingaersheek.

Cambridge

Cambridge is located in Middlesex County of Massachusetts and a part of Greater Boston metropolis. It is the 5th largest city of the state and mainly famous for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and famous Fireside Poets. Some famous places to visit in Cambridge are Harvard Square, Harvard Museum of Natural History, Peadbody Museum, Mount Auburn Cemetery, Fogg Museum, Brattle Theatre and The First Parish in Cambridge.

One of the prized beauties of the seven states of eastern India, Manipur is an amazing location to traverse and experience the tranquility that it offers you through the beautiful scenery. Blessed with the nature’s bounty in the form of beautiful blooms, cascading falls, the dancing rivers and much more, the state has been preserved as it was since ages. The true natural beauty which is yet to be explored can be seen in the state of Manipur. With the people of varied castes living in perfect harmony, you see their warm smiles every time you meet a person from the state.

Loktak Lake

An amusing site of the floating houses in the lake on the mere foundation of weeds that grow in these waters is mesmerizing and at the same time mind boggling. The homogeneous mass of soil, vegetation and organic matter that forms the floating material in the lake is known as phumdi in the local language and is the major supporter of the house. To experience the similar lifestyle of the people living on the lake, they have also constructed a tourist guest house in the similar fashion. An amusing experience to live in the waters is too good to miss out on. The Sendra tourist home provides ample quality service for your stay. The Loktak Lake is the biggest fresh water lake of north-east India and serves as the source for drinking, hydropower generation and fishing as well.

Sadu Chiru Waterfalls

Located scenically in the Sadar hills of the Senapati district, the water falls are a favorite picnic spot of the people of this place as well as the tourist. The astoundingly encompassed vegetation is a satisfaction to the eyes once you reach the place. The falls are divided into three stages with the height of the top most cascade landing up to 30 meter. The entire picture created by the clean blue waters falling from heights and the surrounding vegetation has an amazing impact on your mind which gets refreshed instantly on the sight of this place. People enjoy fresh dips in the water and small snacks on its banks as well. A new park has recently been opened in its vicinity and shares the view of the waterfall through its premises.

Museums and Memorials

There are many museums and memorials in the state. The museums here are dedicated towards various works of arts and tribal collections from the past. The Mutua Museum in Andro village of the state capital of Imphal exhibits an array of delicate and magnificent works of art with regards to the pottery, jewelry, wood carvings etc. and the rare coins, manuscripts and paintings. The replicas of the houses that the different tribal in northeast India lived in are amazingly similar to the genuine ones. The other noteworthy museum is the Manipur State Museum, which displays the rich tribal heritage and their lifestyles. It also houses the portraits of the rulers of Manipur and the costumes, arms and ammunitions, etc. that were used during the historic times. The memorials here are mostly built as a tribute to the war soldiers and are pilgrim places for a few as well. The Shaheed Minar is a tribute to those who lost their lives in the war against the British and is located right in the heart of Imphal city. Red Hill (Lokpaching), a few kilometer away from the capital is built in the memory of the Japanese soldiers who died in the war between the English and Japanese men during the World War. This place is a pilgrim site for the Japanese who visit to pay homage to the gallant soldiers. There is also a war cemetery that signifies the brave fight that the English and Indian soldiers had given during the World War.

Sightseeing and Shopping

Full of greenery and floral blossoms in the entire expanse, there are many places where you can sit, relax and enjoy the company of nature in the state of Manipur. Tamenglong is one such place where you will find deep gorges, humungous waterfalls and the exotic varieties of orchids to please your eyes. Churachandpur is another exciting location for the picnickers to hang out and spend some quality time. The Khonghampat Orchidarium is a humungous area of 200 acres and displays about 110 rare varieties of orchids. Totally amusing and breathtaking, the delicate beauties are a treat for your eyes during the peak months of March and April. The Manipur Zoological Garden is also a good place to spend time and get an opportunity to see the Sangai (brow antlered deer) and the pine forests. Also, Kangchup is becoming a famous tourist place with its picturesque view and the dam built adjacent to it.

When it comes to shopping, Khwairamband Bazaar or the commonly known Ima market is a popular place. Divided into two halves, one side sees the imas or the mothers selling vegetables, fruits and flowers while the other side sees a section which offers you all the handloom varieties and other household tools. Moreh is another shopper’s paradise and offers a variety of goods as well.

Thus all in all, you get a good exposure to something very different when you come to Manipur. With the warm people and an array of cultures you are bound to fall in love with the way these people have adjusted themselves according to the nature.

Korea always has been an underrated and different place to visit. But it has been improving its image and attracting a lot of visitors from last few years. Famous for its mountains, temples, amazing food, beautiful locations and kind people, South Korea is a place that will stay with you even when you leave this place. There are a lot of historic places in South Korea like Jeju Island, Dongdaemun Market, Songnisan National Park, Seoraksan National Park, Andong Folk Village and Deokjeok Island. It has some exotic cities like Seoul, Busan Area, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, Pohang, Ulsan, Suwon, Geoje and Sokcho. Lets know more about the city of Sokcho and find out why it is one of the most preferred tourist spots in South Korea. Sokcho is a small but beautiful city located in Gangwon-do Province in South Korea and has been an extremely popular tourist destination. You will absolutely fall in love with the Sokcho beach, natural hot springs, spas & pleasure swimming halls, Yeongragho Lake, Sinheungsa Temple, Taffy Vendors, the Gaet Bae Events and a lot of outdoor sports opportunities. It also has one of the longest gardens of the country with lots of Mugunghwa, the national flower of Korea. Sokcho also has a big convention centre where you can attend the daily morning ceremony which starts with saluting the Korean Flag and national anthem of Korea, Aegukga. You will find a great blend of communities in this amazing city from Buddhism and Confucianism to Protestantism and Catholicism.

Sokcho has a typical warm temperate climate with not so warm summers. The temperature varies from -0.6 degrees to 23.7 degrees around the year. August is the hottest month of the year and December is the coolest. There are no dry seasons and rainfall is not very common. However, you can expect only around 200 days of sunshine because of the foggy weather. The precipitation reaches its highest at 273 mm during August and brings rain and thunderstorms with it. The best time to visit Sokcho is from March to July.

How to get here?

Sokcho had its own local airport named Sokcho Airport, which was used for the people who used to come for hiking in Seoraksan but it was closed when Yanyang International Airport was opened nearby. Now it serves the city and receives a number of flights from all major carriers like Frontier, Delta, US Airways, British Airways and more. Other nearest major airport to the city is Wonju Airport, located just 142 km from Sokcho downtown. You can also reach the city by Bus service as there are many highways connecting the city to neighborhood. To get around the city, you can use cabs, taxis, rental cars, shuttles or trams.

Accommodation and Food

Sokcho has enough accommodation options in accordance with its area and you will easily find suitable place for you and your budget. If you would like to stay at a luxurious place then Seorak Kensington Stars Hotel will be the best choice which is located at Seorak Dong in downtown and features facilities like free parking, free internet, free shuttle service, rooms with both air conditioning and heating, cable TV, minibar, Family Karaoke Room, Book Cafe, gift shop, 24 hour front desk, Gayatgo Restaurant, The Queen Restaurant and Abbey Road Sky Launge. Other luxurious choice include Sokcho Esher House Pension, Rocustel, Hotel Sorak Park, Songwol Park, Goodstay Smile Resort and Chowon Resortel. Some cheap but satisfying places include Soolim Motel, Hangang Park Motel, Songwol Park, Goodstay Smile Resort, Marine Guesthouse, Sokcho Esher House Pension, HJ House, Norumok, Seorak Kumho Resort, Chowon Resrotel and Seorak Resortel.

Sokcho is known for great ethnic food and raw fish. You will find almost every international cuisine of your taste here in every price range. There are more than 100 eateries around the city, from restaurants and cafes to steakhouses and street food corners. Some of the best choices are Siloammemil Sokcho featuring mouth watering Memilguksu (a buckwheat noodle soup), Sokcho Jeonbok Haemul Ddukbaegi featuring Korean cuisine and seafood, Sokcho Gezzim featuring good ethnic food, Jeombong Sansanchae featuring traditional Korean food, Gungjung Haejangguk and Gimyeongae Halmeoni Sundubu featuring great continental and contemporary food. Some local small eateries include Beach Hwetjip, Choeokran Halmeoni Sundubu, Gimjeongok Halmeoni Sundubu, Sorak Sketch, Oseong Sikdang, Matsu, Saeshim Chon, Dasin Sikdang, Seopjuk Maeul, Jangsu Myeon Ok and JukStory Sokcho Joyang Store.

The Attractions

Seoraksan National Park

The Seoraksan National Park is a national park located in Gangwan-do near Sokcho and a famous landmark of the city. It has been listed with UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It was designated as a national park in 1970 and listed as a nature preservation area in 1965. The park is very famous among visitors because it has some rare species, the highest mountain in Taebaek mountain range, hiking trails, rock formations, beautiful plants and some amazing temples. You can easily get to the park by all means of transport from any corner of the city.

Seokbong Ceramic Museum

The Seokbong Ceramic Museum is a ceramics museum located at EXPO-ro in Sokcho and features a two storey Building with an exterior of museum. It was opened in 1997 and named after Seokbong Cho Muho who was a well known ceramist of his time. The museum houses lots of ceramic artworks, paintings, sculptures and souvenirs from international and regional artists. There is also an attractive painting of the Baekdu Mountain which is one of largest mountains of Korea.

Romania has a lot of delight to offer to its visitors with its charm, style and authenticity. We all have heard about the country Romania but it is not the most famous country among visitors but it has been attracting a lot of them because of its exotic locations, tasty food, smiley people and scenic beauty. It has some really famous places like Palace of the Parliament, Romanian Athenaeum, Museum of the Romanian Peasant, National Museum of Art of Romania, Bran Castle and CEC Palace. Romania is the place where insulin, Hyper CD-ROM, first car with the wheels inside aerodynamic line, fountain pen, parachuted chair were invented. This country has also given some great people to the world like Henri Coanda, Aurel Vlaicu, Elie Wiesel and John Houseman. This is a country with 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and heaviest & most expensive administrative building named the Palace of the Parliament. It is a great mixture of some stylish & advanced cities like Bucharest, Brasov, Cluj, Timisoara, Sibiu, Sinaia, Constanta, Sighisoara, Bran, Mamaia, Iasi, Oradea, Predeal and Poiana Brasov. Lets dig more deeply about the city of Bucharest, the capital of Romania and most visited city too. Bucharest is the largest city in Romania and located in the southeast of the country. It is also one of the most populated cities in the country with almost 3 million people. It is a place of rich history, unique culture, modern architectures and outdoor fun. It is the city that gave the world lamp oil, house driven omnibuses, cinematographic projection and has the oldest station of the country. Bucharest is sometimes mentioned as ‘Little Paris’, because of its romantic environment, tree covered boulevards and rich nightlife. It was named after a shepherd called Dambovita Bucur which means Joy. It has a history of over 600 years and the name ‘Bucharest’ was heard in 1459. It was designated as capital city of Wallachia in 1569.

Bucharest has a humid continental climate with fairly hot summers. The temperature varies from 12 F to 93 F throughout the year and there are no dry seasons. July is the warmest month whereas January is the coolest one. You can easily expect around 300 days of sunshine per year. The precipitation reaches its highest during June and most rainfall is experienced during this period. Snowfall is rarely seen during January. The best time to visit Bucharest is between March and July.

How to get here?

Bucharest is well served by two international airports that receive both domestic and international flights from all major carriers. First one is Bucharest Baneasa Aurel Vlaicu International Airport, located just 10 km from the city center and another one is Henri Coanda International Airport, located just 18 km from the city downtown. Mostly preferred one is Henri Coanda because it receives major international airlines whereas Baneasa airport receives some charter and low cost airlines. You can easily reach downtown by airport shuttles facility available at both airports. You can get around the city easily via taxi, cabs, rental cars, train or bus services.

Accommodation and Food

Although the prices are a bit on higher side in this country than others because of its focus on business people but you will easily get a lot of lodging options around the city fitting your budget and requirements. There are more than 200 small and big hotel, apartments and villas in Bucharest. If you wish to enjoy a luxurious stay then the best option is Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest, featuring over 200 luxury rooms with amazing interior, spa, bar, pool, free parking and free internet and another one is Intercontinental Hotel, featuring 283 rooms with cranberry carpets & padded walls. Some other luxurious options include Christina Hotel, Duke Hotel, Hotel Opera, Hotel Pullman Bucharest World Trade Center, Rin Grand Hotel, Double Tree By Hilton, Rin Central and Capital Plaza Hotel. Some budget hostels include The Funky Chicken Hostel, Hotel Carpati Imparatul Romanilor, Liad Accommodation, Pier Commercial Area, Hotel Papion, Hotel Mic, Hotel Green Forum Bucharest, Puzzle Hostel, Byzanthin Hostel, Peaches Hostel and The Midland Hostel.

The Attractions

Palace of the Parliament

The Palace of the Parliament is a huge building housing both chambers of the Romanian Parliament. The palace is located at Strada Lzvor in Bucharest and is the most expensive administrative building of the world. It is the most important landmark of the city because of its great physical and historic stature. You must visit this place if you want to take a look at the best display of Romanian wealth by stone, marbles and wood.

Museum of the Romanian Peasant

The Museum of the Romanian Peasant is located at Soseaua Pavel Dimtrievici Kiseleff in Bucharest and house a wide collection of textiles, ceramics, icons and other artifacts representing Romanian peasant life. You will be amazed to see this architectural masterpiece and its handpainted Easter eggs and Terrocotta pottery. It has also received numerous awards including the award for The best European Museum of the year in 1996.

Beach is the ultimate place to keep the boredom at bay. Let it be about a getting a lovely tan or building sand castles and playing charades, or an adventurous experience of surfing, or diving into deep sea for sight-seeing the mysteries creatures, there are so many things to do at a beach to keep your soirees lively and spirited. So we bring you at your glance, some of the most awe-inspiring beaches, the cream of the crop together at one place.

Lanikai Beach, Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii

The name of this beach unveils the best description of itself as “lanikai” means “heavenly sea” in Hawaiian language. So, have a delightful experience at this beach gawking at its scenic splendor. As you walk, the palm trees sway in the submission, the cool breeze caresses your skin softly blowing in between your hair, the glittering sand giving you an exquisite feel and most of all the warm turquoise-green water beckons you with its tides. Therefore it goes without saying that you are bound to a heavenly experience as its name hints.

It is situated in the neighborhood of Kailua, on the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Even though it spreads for only about 0.5 miles, it has been repeatedly ranked among the top beaches in the world. Unfortunately, it is not equipped with rest rooms, lifeguards, parking-lot, and such much required facilities. Apart from that, it is really an awesome place to visit, especially if you want to witness the moon-rise, as it is best known for the moon-rise over Mokuluas.

Siesta Key Public Beach, Siesta Key, Florida

If you are hell-bent about having an exciting experience at a beach, then Siesta Key Public Beach might be the perfect place for having your little clambake. The sand over here is 99% pure quartz and is naturally pleasing to the feet. It is speculated that the sand in this beach is millions of years old, having originated in the Appalachians and then travelling down along with the rivers until it got deposited at the shores of Siesta Key.

It has racked up an impressive array of awards such as “The Best Sand Beach in America” through the travel channel in 2004 , “the whitest and finest sand in the world” during the Great International Beach Challenge, 1987. This was the easiest way of describing its “must-see” credentials.

Bora Bora, Tahiti

Whether you plan a beach trip for having few relaxing nights at splendid resorts or you wish to dive into water just to swim along with the exotic fish species, Bora Bora beach is the place where both your plans can be implemented with pleasure. It basically is an archipelago of Leeward Islands of French Polynesia in the pacific ocean and sprawls over a distance of 18 miles. It is also attributed with the nickname “romantic island” for ensuring the pristine environment.

It is best known for its aqua-centric activities. Snorkeling and scuba-diving in and around the Bora Bora lagoon are few of the favorite pastimes of the visitors. If you want to push it to the brink and get little adventurous then you should go for shark feeding dives and manta ray dives.

Wai’anapanapa State Park, Hana, Maui, Hawaii

Wai’anapanapa State Park spreads over 122 acres on the island of Maui proudly exhibiting its lush greenery and stunning splendor. Most of the Hawaiian beaches are aptly named according to their best depictive quality and so is this one. “Wai’anapanapa”, translates to ‘glistening fresh water’ in Hawaiian language describing the true grandeur of its water. It also offers camping facilities.

It boasts about housing a number of tourist attractions such as anchialine pool, seabird colonies, some of the hardened lava tubes, a pilgrimage temple named “heiau”, a natural arch. All this will make you to linger over there.

Fraser Island, Australia

Fraser Island features the world’s largest sand island and houses a magnificent beach. It sits on the southern coast of Queensland, approximately 200 km north of Brisbane. The unspoiled beach shore runs for about 161 miles. The shore is protected from the treacherous waves of the ocean, by a nearby coral reef. This world heritage is an unspoiled natural paradise. It is so beautiful and exquisite with its sparkling sand that it looks like an art. It offers a true visual treat for ecology lovers.

Still scratch beneath the surface and you will find fresh aromatic rain-forests, eucalyptus woodlands, stirring sand dunes, and number of flora and fauna.

It is visited by a cluster of backpackers and travelers. It provides the facility of accommodation with its elite resorts. It is estimated that the sand over here is 750000 old and got accumulated over the volcanic bedrock. The island can be accessed by a ferry from river heads to kingfisher Bay or by a chartered flight from Maroochydore Airport.

The state of Colorado is also known as Centennial State which means colored red and famous for rocky mountains, the Air Force Academy, Coors Brewing Company, snowy regions, forests, mesas, canyons, desert lands, great meat processing facilities, exhilarating skiing and its fabulous cities like Alma, Arriba, Arvada, Aspen, Branson, Blanca, Centennial, Coal Creek, Durango, Englewood, Garden City, Granada, Grand Junction, Denver, Hooper and more. Lets explore Denver and know why it is one of the most visited cities in Colorado. Denver is a city and county seat, located in the Colorado Front Range region. It is also the largest city and capital of Colorado and borders the Southern Rocky Mountains and High Plains city. The history of Denver takes us to 1858, when a group of people from Georgia reached great plains of Colorado Territory in gold rush. They did not find the precious metal but the area was taken over by them. The area was named Denver after Kansas Territorial governor James Denver. The City was almost shattered to scratch because of a flash flood causing a great loss to the city. However, the city dealt with the situation amazingly well and Denver became a boomtown once again. Today, Denver is the second most populous city of Colorado, the second most educated city in the United States, third fastest growing state in last decade, has the 6th busiest airport in country, brews more beer than any other city, home to the second largest performing arts complex featuring 10 theatres with seating capacity of more than 10000 people.

Denver has a mild climate with fairly warm summers. The temperature varies from 16 F to 88 F throughout the year and there are no dry seasons. July is the warmest month and January and December are the coldest. There are more than 300 days of sunshine per year and winters go quite mild. There is low humidity because of the city’s altitude of 5280 feet above sea level. The best time to visit Denver is from November to March.

How to get here?

The city of Denver is served by Denver International Airport which is one of the busiest airports in the United States. It was opened in 1995 and today it has become a major airline hub and receives more than 1700 flights daily from more than 19 international cities and 160 US cities. It is served by major airlines like AeroMexico, Air Canada, AirTrain, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Frontier and JetBlue. You can reach downtown from airport and get around the city by Regional Transportation District Bus Service, shuttles, taxis or cabs.

Accommodation and Food

Whether you are looking for a luxury honeymoon suite or an affordable B&B, the Mile High City of Denver has more than enough options. You will find the accommodation unique, affordable and historic here with different characters and flavors. One of the best choices is Grand Hyatt Denver located just one block away from 16th Street Mall, featuring king size rooms with private spa, pool, health club and free internet. Other luxury options include Westin Westminster, Sheraton Downtown Hotel and 11th Avenue Hotel & Hostel. Some Budget options include Alexandra’s Updown Bed & Breakfast, Brown Palace Hotel & Spa, Campus Village Apartments at Auraria, Capital Hill Mansion Bed & Breakfast Inn, The Ritz Carlton, Springhill Suites at MSU Denver, Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals, Twoneplace Suites By Marriott, Warwick Denver Hotel and Holiday Express Inn.

The Attractions

Denver Art Museum

The Denver Art Museum is an art museum featuring a variety of international art, travelling exhibits and some of the museum’s permanent collection. It is one of the longest art museums of the world and located at W 14th Avenue Parkway in Denver. The museum houses more than 70000 works of art from Africa, India, America, Asia and other places. The museum was founded in 1893 and was called The Denver Artists Club at that time. There is also a museum shop featuring diverse collections like books, apparels, calender, children’s things, crafts, media, jewelry, prints and other things. You can have a good dine at Pallettes Restaurant at the museum which features delicious contemporary Americna Cuisine. The museum remains open daily except Mondays.

Denver Zoo

The Denver Zoo is located at Steele Street in Denver and is home of American Black Bear, Chines Pheasants, Prairie dogs, antelopes, red squirrels, primates, pachyderms, birds, reptiles and fishes. The zoo covers a total area of 80 acres and was started in 1896 with just a donated American Black Bear. The zoo is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The famous exhibits of the zoo include Bear Mountain, Primate Panorama, Monkey island, Monkey House, Predator Ridge, Feline House, Mountain Sheep Habitat and Bird World. The zoo remains open daily and the ticket costs just $10 per person.

Salsa music, rich colonial record, blend of different races, beautiful tropical sunsets, exotic beaches, hearty food, hub of diving and snorkeling, great place for exploring wildlife and some great pieces of architecture, this place is an amazing blend of all these things. Yes! you guessed it right, it is Puerto Rico, an incorporated territory of the United States and located in the north eastern Caribbean. The cities of Puerto Rico like San Juan, Bayamon, Carolina, Ponce, Caquas, Guaynabo, Mayaquez, Tujillo Alto and Fajardo together complete this fabulous state. Let’s explore San Juan and know how it is one of the most visited city of Puerto Rico. San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico and it is also the most populous city of the state also. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of United States but still you will be amazed when you will see the beauty of this place. San Juan is the oldest city under the jurisdiction of US and the history of this legendary city takes us to 1493 when it was found by Christopher Columbus. The island was named as San Juan Bautista in honor of John the Baptist at that time. In 1508, Juan Ponce de Leon was appointed as the first governor of the island and one year later, the island was named as Puerto Rico and this little town was named as San Juan. Also known as ‘La Ciudad Amurallada’, San Juan is one of the biggest natural harbors in the Caribbean.

San Juan has a typical rain forest climate with very hot summers. The temperature varies from 72 F to 89 F around the year and there are no dry seasons. You can easily expect at least 250 sunny days per year and rainfall is not so common here. The precipitation reaches its highest level in November and the thunderstorms can be experienced during that period. The best time to visit San Juan is from February to May.

How to get here?

The Luis Munoz Marin International Airport serves the city of San Juan and is located just 9 miles from the city downtown. It is the busiest airport in the Caribbean and receives numbers of leading carriers from airlines like BWIA, Delta, Air Canada, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. You can easily get a taxi, public bus or rental car outside the airport and it takes just 10 minutes to reach the city center. San Juan is not connected via rail to the airport.

Accommodation and Food

From luxury, beachfront hotels to cozy paradores, San Juan offers limitless accommodation options. No matter what your budget is, you can easily get a place to stay. In the luxury options, Hotel El Convento tops the list because of the unmatched service and amenities. It features king size rooms with ocean view, spa, restaurant, club, outdoor pool, tennis court and free internet throughout the hotel. Other luxury options include La Terraza Hotel, doubletree by Hilton, Ciqala Luxury Suites and La Concha Resort. Budget options include Olive Boutique Hotel, Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel, Dreams Hotel Puerto Rico, The Condado Plaza Hilton, Welcome Inn, Holiday Express Inn, Da House Hotel, Casa Condado Hotel, Comfort Inn & suites and San Juan Park Hotel.

From Mexican to American, Indian to Italian, Chinese to Thai and Sushi to Mediterranean, you will find every type of food here in San Juan. There are more than 500 places to eat here, from luxurious dining to stalls at street corners. One of the best is Marmalade Restaurant & Wine bar featuring Caribbean, International, Fusion and Organic food. Other options include Yantar with Spanish food, St. Germain Bistro & Cafe with great sandwiches, Cafe Cola’o with nice coffee, Muzzarella with great Argentinian cuisine, Punto de Vista Restaurant & Bar with Latin and Puerto Rican food, Ali Baba Restaurant with Indian food and Bagua Restaurant with one of the best Caribbean food in town.

The Attractions

Castillo de San Felipe del Morro

The Castillo de San Felipe del Morro is the most famous landmark of Old San Juan. It is a castle located at Calle Norzagaray and you wouldn’t want to miss it for sure. It is one of the most impressive structures on the island and it was used by the US in World War II to track the movement of German submarines in the Caribbean. There is a large green field right in front of the castle where you will see people relaxing, enjoying picnic and flying kites. The Castle remains open daily and the admission costs just $ 5 per person.

Camuy River Cave Park

The Camuy River Cave Park is a cave system located between three municipalities and interesting thing is that the main entrance of the cave park is in the fourth municipality which is called Quebrada. The park covers a total area of 268 acres and is a very popular site among tourists and locals. It is the third largest cave systems in the world and remains open 7 days a week for public.

Wildlife Museum

The Wildlife Museum, mainly known as The Museo de Vida Silvestre is located right in the heart of the San Juan city. It houses more than 200 animals in their respective habitats. It is surely a educational and fun spot to spend a full day learning about the animals and their habitats. You can take a guided tour which will help you in understanding the various environments and attend some hands on Exhibits. The Museum remains open daily except Mondays and entry fees is just $ 10 per visitor.